Hebron Sealed After Reserve Base Ambush
Israel imposed a full West Bank lockdown after two soldiers were killed, displacing 2,200 residents in Hebron.
By Malik Salazar ·
Israeli forces sealed the city of Hebron on Saturday, cutting off approximately 800,000 residents from the rest of the West Bank.
The closure followed a deadly ambush on Friday in which two Palestinian gunmen attacked an Israeli army reserve base in Hebron. Both attackers were killed in the exchange, along with the two soldiers guarding the facility.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a full lockdown of the territory immediately after the attack. By Saturday morning, soldiers had announced evacuation orders over loudspeakers in Hebron, instructing families to leave their homes. Hebron Mayor Yousef al-Ja'bari stated that 2,200 people had been forced out of their residences. He noted that residents were unable to enter or exit the city during the day.
Military operations expanded rapidly across the region. Al Jazeera correspondents documented Israeli raids in at least 15 areas on Saturday. These locations included Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, Al-Bireh, Birzeit, East Jerusalem, and Bethlehem. The Palestinian Prisoners' Society reported that forces arrested about 70 Palestinians during these operations. In Hebron, journalists covering a demolition near the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint were targeted by soldiers who fired a stun grenade at them.
The Palestinian Authority criticized the military response, describing it as collective punishment. Officials cited home demolitions and the siege of cities as key factors in the crisis. Issa Amro, a political analyst based in Hebron, said the city is under siege with all entrances and exits closed. He added that there is no safe place for anyone to hide inside the city.
The escalation occurs three days before Israeli parliamentary elections scheduled for October 27. Al Jazeera correspondent Nour Odeh reported that Israeli politicians are attempting to leverage the attack for political gain. She noted that Netanyahu and his Likud party are currently trailing in the polls. Netanyahu avoided confirming whether he intends to dismantle the Palestinian Authority but stated that a big surprise awaits the organization.
